Comfort
by mirdaishan
Summary: Warning! Spoilers for Homecoming! When Greg finds out what has happened to Ecklie, all he can think about is Morgan. According to Sara, she could use a friend right now, but he wants to be more than just friends. Will trying to comfort her change the way she feels about him?


**Warning! Spoilers for Homecoming!  
Hope you guys like it! :)**

* * *

Ecklie has been shot."

The news had spread through the crime lab within less than ten minutes. Sara and Greg, who were still in the breakroom discussing Nick's sudden departure, heard it from Brass.

"What happened?" Sara asked.

"According to Morgan, he was shot from a car that drove by," Brass told her. Greg immediately turned around. "Morgan was with him? Is she okay?"

Perhaps it was selfish to ask about her first, but he had to know she was alright.

"She's with Ecklie at the hospital, she hasn't been shot," Brass said to his relief. He sighed happily. At least she hadn't been hurt!

"How's Ecklie?" Sara asked when she realized Greg wasn't going to ask.

"He's in surgery now, they'll know more after that," Brass said. "In the meantime, someone needs to find out who shot him. Are you two up for it?"

"Yeah, of course," Sara said, but Greg shook his head. He wanted to see Morgan first before he could do anything else!

"I'll find Finn," Sara told Brass, who understood what went through Greg's mind. Brass shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Sara looked at Greg. "Go and see her, Greg. I think she can use a friend about now."

Instead of saying he wanted to be more than just Morgan's friend, he rushed to his locker to get his car keys. Brass hadn't said to which hospital they had brought Ecklie, but he guessed it was Desert Palm. As quick as he could, he drove there and parked his car. At the reception he asked where he could find Ecklie.

"Are you family? Only family can visit him," the receptionist told him.

"I'm his daughter's fiancé," he lied. "She called me that her father had been shot, but she was so upset she didn't tell me in which room he is."

After a few moments of hesitation the receptionist told him in which room Ecklie was. He quickly thanked her and hurried to the elevators. Ecklie's room was on the fourth floor, room twelve. From the hall, Greg could see Ecklie lying in the bed, his eyes closed, his face white. Morgan was sitting next to his bed, her face wet from her tears. Quietly Greg walked into the room. Morgan looked up and he saw the surprise in her eyes. "Greg? What are you doing here?"

"I heard about your father," he replied softly. "How is he doing?"

"He's just had surgery, they said he was doing okay," she said, not able to hold in her tears. "The surgery went fine, they said."

Tears ran down her face faster and faster.

"Hey…" Greg moved closer to her and carefully put his hand on her arm. "He's going to be fine again, don't worry!"

"If it was your father lying here and I told you not to worry, would you be able to do that?" she snapped at him. He bent his head. "No, of course not… I'm sorry…"

Morgan shook her head. "It's okay, you're just trying to cheer me up. Thanks for coming, I really appreciate it."

Encouraged by her words, he sat down next to her, his hand still on her arm. To his surprise, she leaned towards him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I was about to tell him I wasn't angry at him anymore…"

He realized she was telling him about what had happened.

"We had been out to dinner with Hodges and his mother," she continued, her head still on his shoulder. "We took a walk together and talked about when I was little. And then all of a sudden this car came up to us and someone called his name. We saw the gun too late… He pushed me aside, but he got hit… And now he's here…"

She started crying again. This time Greg didn't hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He felt she was holding him tightly, like she was drowning and he was her only lifebuoy. Without saying a word, he stroke her back and just held her until she calmed down.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed. He shook his head. "Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry about, of course you're upset!"

"Yeah, but you… I mean, we work together!" she protested, wiping away her tears. For the second time, he shook his head. "I came to see you, Morgan, I wanted to be there for you."

He almost added 'I love you', but he held the words in just in time. She nodded as answer. "Thanks."

He gave her a small smile. "You're welcome. Can I get you anything? Something to drink, something to eat?"

"No, I just want to stay here," she said.

"Okay, then we'll stay here," he nodded. For a moment it looked like she was going to protest again, but then she sighed and looked at her father. When he put his arm around her, she didn't say anything, she just rested her head on his shoulder again. In spite of the situation, he had never felt this happy. Morgan hadn't been shot and here she was, her head on his shoulder. The last few weeks he had kind of given up hope that she'd ever be interested in him, especially when she started to go out with Hodges. He knew it was just fake, but the fact that she was going out with him was all the more reason for him to believe she didn't see him as more than just another colleague. And now here she was… He pulled her a little closer, but fought the temptation to kiss her on the top of her head, afraid that might scare her off.

Greg stayed all night with Morgan in the hospital room, next to Ecklie's bed. Around four o'clock, she fell asleep, her head still on his shoulder. Greg dozed off a little, but never fell asleep. When he saw she was waking up, he moved back a little. She looked at him with a sad smile. "Hey…"

"Hey… How are you feeling?"

She sighed. "Tired…"

She looked at her father, who was still asleep. "He looks so peaceful…"

"That's probably a good sign," Greg softly said. She nodded. "I hope so…"

He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Come on, let's go something to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she replied, shaking her head. He did the same. "You need to eat something. Come on!"

After a few moments, she finally gave in and followed him to the hospital's cafeteria. He bought her a cup of coffee and a sandwich, even though she kept saying she wasn't hungry.

"Just eat!" he told her. For the first time, he saw a real smile on her face. "Now you sound just like my Mum…"

"Do you mind if I don't take that as a compliment?" he grinned. She laughed. "Sure!"

Then the smile disappeared from her face and she sighed again. He pushed the plate with her sandwich towards her. "Eat something. You need your strength!"

She slowly started to eat. As soon as she had finished her sandwich and her coffee, she wanted to go back to her father's room. When they arrived there, Ecklie had his eyes open. Morgan rushed to his bed. "Dad! How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot…" he replied with a tiny smile. Greg saw tears appearing in her eyes.

"Oh, Dad, I was so worried!" She started to cry again. Ecklie took her hand. "I'm fine, Morgan. It takes more than a few bullets to get me down!"

He now noticed Greg was in his room too.

"Sanders," he said with a small nod.

"I hope you'll feel better soon, sir," Greg said as politely as he could. Ecklie didn't pay any more attention to him, he just looked at Morgan and tried to talk to her. It was difficult for him to speak, he was obviously still in a lot of pain.

"You should rest, Dad," Morgan said.

"You too," he told her. "Go home, Morgan, and get some sleep. I think I'm going to be here for a while!"

"He's right, Morgan," Greg said, when he saw she wanted to protest again. "Come on, I'll take you home!"

"No, I want to…"

"Let Sanders take you home!" Ecklie said, sounding stronger than before. "Listen to me, Morgan, I'm still your father!"

"Okay…" Morgan gave him a quick hug. "I'll be back later, Dad."

She kissed his cheek before she left the room. Greg followed her to the elevators. While they waited, he asked her where she lived. She told him, but then she fell silent again. The entire ride to her apartment, she stayed quiet. When Greg parked his car in front of her house, she looked at him. "Will you stay with me a little longer?"

"Sure," he said, trying to hide his surprise. He followed her inside and waited till she would say something. She didn't, she just took his hand and took him to her bedroom. She looked at him with a sad look in her eyes. "Just stay with me, please, I just don't want to be alone right now!"

He nodded, realizing what she asked wasn't meant in any romantic way. He lay down next to her on top of the bed covers. Immediately, she moved closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. After a few minutes, he heard her breathing deepening and knew she had fallen asleep. He kissed her on her forehead, then he closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.

When they woke up hours later, Morgan smiled at him. "Thanks for staying with me… Do you think you can give me a ride back to the hospital?"

"Of course," he nodded. "Let me just call Sara to let her know I'm not coming in tonight."

She didn't even protest, almost like she had expected him to say that.

An hour later, they were back at the hospital. Greg waited just outside the room, while Morgan talked to her father. She came out with a huge smile on her face.

"He's feeling much better!" she told him. "The doctor said he's going to be just fine again!"

Greg pretended to think. "Now, let's see… Who told you that yesterday already?"

She started laughing. "Yeah, you're amazing, _doctor_ Greg! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

She took his hand and walked away from his father's room with him.

"Thanks so much for being here for me," she said with a serious look on her face. "It really means a lot to me!"

He couldn't find the right words to say, so he nodded. She smiled and gave him a hug. When she started to move back, their faces were only inches apart. They looked in each other's eyes, Greg with butterflies in his stomach. Suddenly she bent towards him and kissed him. It was only a short kiss, but it was enough to give Greg his courage back. He pulled her close and kissed her again, more passionately this time. She didn't pull back, he noticed. Instead, she deepened their kiss until he felt like he was floating inches above the floor.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear. As response, she kissed him again.

"Hey," she said all of a sudden, her arms still around him. "I thought only family was allowed to visit my Dad! How did you manage to get his room number?"

"I kinda told the receptionist I'm your fiancé," he admitted. She laughed at loud before looking deep into his eyes. "How about we wait with our engagement until after a real first date?"

He laughed as well. She stroke with her hand through his hair. "So, when are you officially gonna ask me out?"

"Do you think your father will be okay with us going out?" he hesitated. She smiled. "Don't worry about that! But if you like, we can go see him together?"

Without waiting for his answer, she took his hand and walked back with him to his father's room. They were still holding hands when they walked into the room. Ecklie looked up at them, immediately noticing their hands. He nodded. "Just take good care of her, Sanders."

After those words, he closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep. Morgan sighed with relief. Greg wrapped his arms around her.

"Let's go home," he softly said. This time she didn't have to ask him if he wanted to stay with her. From now on, he'd always stay with her.


End file.
